Also, while I'm a serious pearl girl, I had an opportunity to try on earrings that incorporated pearls versus a straight-diamond look with my dress (at one of the bridal stores), and I decided no pearls for the earrings.

Call me crazy, but they just didn't look right with the dress.

So those were the ACTUAL options I was considering, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I spent some time drooling over these little gems...

I mean really, the picture does not do those incredible earrings justice.

I told the sales lady, who was all to eager to pull those guys out, that I would not be spending more than the cost of my wedding dress on earrings...unless I suddenly had some seriously fancy balls to attend.

If I was a princess, maybe we could talk ;)

So, which pair do you think I chose??

Take some guesses, and maybe I'll tell you! :)

I will say I am THRILLED with my choice.

They were even more beautiful in person, and the perfect amount of bling-a-ling.

Major bummer for both me and Justin, since now he will most likely be forced into watching this epic chick flick :)

Well, because I am SO lucky lately, once I was able to leave work, I ended up slipping on the wet floor at the train station (it had snowed that afternoon), which hurt not only my ego, but also my ankle.

Needless to say I have been a little bit O.O.C. (out of commission) on the workout front this week. My ankle is really not that bad, just a very minor sprain as I have self diagnosed.

I got in 2 very easy workout this weeks to keep the blood flowing, and I'm hoping to be back on top by Monday because I have a pretty sa-weet new playlist for ya'll and I'd like to give it a whirl myself.

2) After going back into work on Saturday (@ 8AM, the horror!) you better believe I was ready for some time with my handsome fiance + good food + DRINKS.

Justin took me to The Happ Inn Bar & Grill, a place one of his co-workers has been raving about.

I'm not saying we won't get some rain, but at least we are cutting down the risk a little.

Another possiblity we considered was Tobago.

My family vacationed a couple of times in Tobago growing up, and if you have travel patience (it's a little bit more difficult to get there) and love a quaint island feel, I would highly recommend it.

2) A new destination for the both of us.

There is something very special about experiencing a new place for the first time with your significant other.

This will be the first time for both of us to Aruba - so that definitely excited us.

3) A Safe(er) Destination

Ok, ok...I know some of you just raised your eyebrows and are mouthing the words "Natalie Holloway" to right about now.

However, I will be traveling with a strong, protective new husband at my side and, lets be honest, I'm pretty certain our nights won't be extending much past midnight.

I have had many people tell me that one of the best things about Aruba is that you can really explore the island and are not scared to leave the friendly confines of your resort.

I have been to a couple of places in the Caribbean (and Mexico!) that were beautiful, but I certainly did not feel safe everywhere I went.

As a couple that likes to walk along the beach and explore a little, we're hoping Aruba will allow us to do that comfortably.

4) Beautiful Beaches

One of the things Justin & I learned about ourselves on our trip to Maui is that we are absolutely beach people.

Still have not finished that book. Fail.

The beach bum.

Once we saw that gorgeous beach, we didn't step foot poolside (and the Westin had a GORGEOUS pool area!) for the rest of the vacation.

Aruba is recognized for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, so that helped!

5) Great Restaurants

We were originally sold on doing an All Inclusive resort for our honeymoon.

We were just a little scarred by the $15 poolside hamburgers in Maui, and we want to be able to eat and drink whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted on this trip.

After putting a little bit more thought into it, I realized that one of the things I look forward to the most when I'm on vacation is venturing out local restaurants and bars.

I was excited to hear that Aruba has some incredible restaurants.

There were also some AI options on the island, but we ultimately decided not to go with an AI resort/plan.

Thankfully, we will have a mini kitchen in our room for snacks, and we will get free breakfast (make your own omelets, here I come!) for 2 each morning at our resort, which will certainly help on the food budget front.

We really loved having free breakfast in Maui.

Perfect way to start the day!

And, you know, for drinks...there's always happy hour :)

FYI, I put out the call on Facebook for some resort suggestions, and here are the ones that came back highly recommended:

We used Costco Travel again for booking the hotel, and even with upgrading to a suite, we were able to save $500 off the price we would have paid booking direct through the hotel.

If you are planning a vacation this year, I would highly recommend paying the $$ (I think $50 per year?) to be a Costco member. Even if you don't shop at the store, being able to book through the travel site makes it worth it.

Also, my mom generously offered up some airline miles to help with our plane tickets.

About Me

I am an almost 30 former Indiana girl living in the Chicago suburbs with my husband. On this space, you will find bits and pieces of my life, where I am always trying, failing, and then trying again to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle. Welcome! I hope you find something that makes you smile! :)
"I will hold myself to a standard of Grace, not perfection."